Save Time with These Five Lawn Care Hacks

If you’re new to lawn care, finding the right way to do these tasks can quickly become overwhelming. These five lawn care hacks can help you save time this spring:

• Choose the Correct Lawn Mower
• Use a Sharp Mower Blade
• Switch Up Your Mowing Pattern
• Clear Your Yard Before You Mow
• Water Your Lawn the Right Way
• Lawn Care FAQ

Choose the Correct Lawnmower

Not every lawnmower will work well on your lawn. When choosing a mower, you need to consider the size of your yard. Here’s a quick guide on the common types of mowers and their ideal applications:

• Riding mowers: These work best if you have more than a quarter acre of grass to mow. These are the most expensive types of lawnmowers, with some costing as much as a new car, so it’s best to avoid buying one unless you have a large yard.
• Front-wheel drive walk-behind mower: Like a front-wheel drive car, a front-wheel drive walk-behind mower has a tight turning radius. The tight cornering ability of these mowers makes them great for flat, small to medium-sized yards with sharp corners.
• Rear-wheel drive walk-behind mower: Rear-wheel drive walk-behind mowers offer more pushing power, which makes them excellent for yards with hills.
• All-wheel drive walk-behind mower: If you want a mower that can operate well on most surfaces, and don’t have a large yard, an all-wheel drive walk-behind mower is a great choice.

Choosing the right type of mower for your lawn can make a substantive difference. Once you’ve mowed a hilly lawn with a rear-wheel drive mower, or several acres with a riding mower, you’ll wonder why you weren’t using the appropriate mower in the first place.

Use a Sharp Mower Blade

It’s normal for a mower’s performance to drop off a bit after you use it a few times. However, this reduction in performance isn’t permanent; it’s usually related to the sharpness of your mower blades. Over time, your mower blades will dull, even when used properly. But like a chef’s knife, you can sharpen these blades manually to keep them performing well. 

Switch Up Your Mowing Pattern

You’ve probably seen football fields, soccer pitches, and golf courses with immaculate rows of mowed grass. This eye-catching pattern isn’t just for show; it actually encourages grass growth. Grass tends to lean in the direction you mow, so if you mow in the opposite direction every other pass, you’ll encourage the grass to stand taller. This will lead to more upward growth. This trick also has the added benefit of making mowing just a little less monotonous.

Clear Your Yard Before You Mow

Rocks, sticks, toys, and other typical yard debris can damage your lawnmower blades and even hurt you. One of the most common mowing injuries is being struck by a piece of flying debris that wasn’t picked up beforehand. Taking a quick look at your lawn and removing any items on your lawn can protect both you and your mower.

Water Your Lawn the Right Way

Watering your lawn correctly will ensure that it’s visually appealing and healthy, even when the weather isn’t perfect for its growth cycle.

Sadly, there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution to watering grass. Using context clues, like how much it has rained the past few weeks, how your grass looks, and how recently you mowed, is the best way to water your lawn properly. In general, you want to water the grass when it’s dry, preferably right after mowing it.

Lawn Care FAQ

What is the best time of day to mow your lawn?

The best time of day to mow your lawn isn’t a time so much as it is a type of weather. You want to mow your lawn when it’s cool, but not cold, outside. In general, this is going to be in the morning or evening.

Choosing the right time of day to mow your lawn has benefits for both you and the grass. If you choose the right time of day for mowing, you can avoid a sweaty Sunday afternoon and your grass will retain the moisture it needs to stay healthy and green.

Keep in mind that mowing in the heat is bad for your grass. When it’s cool outside, your grass keeps water in its roots, which means you can safely mow it without taking away its water supply. During hotter times of day, however, the water is stored in the grass blades, so mowing will shear off the part of the plant that’s storing water.

Now you need to choose between mowing in the morning or the evening. Of these options, the evening is better. If you mow in the evening, you’ll be able to avoid mowing a wet lawn, as grass tends to be dewy in the morning. Mowing in the evening also gives your grass some time to recover overnight before the sun rises.

Turn to the Neighborly Community of Home Service Providers for Your Lawn Care Needs

Not a fan of cutting your own grass? There’s no need to worry! You can turn to the helpful teams at Lawn Pride^® and The Grounds Guys^® to keep your lawn looking great all year round.

Click the button below and enter your ZIP code to find lawn care services near you!